A brand new report discovered that Alabama and Kansas lead the nation as essentially the most “faith-friendly,” whereas Michigan and Washington rank among the many lowest in defending freedoms for non secular nonprofits.
Napa Authorized Institute’s “Religion & Freedom Index,” now in its third version, examined 15 elements in state legal guidelines that have an effect on faith-based nonprofits and their capacity to function. The report checked out regulatory burdens, together with charitable registration legal guidelines, in addition to non secular freedom protections in employment regulation and state constitutions, to supply scores for every of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The report’s authors warned that regardless of the White Home’s efforts to guard non secular liberty, a number of states nonetheless lag behind in making certain that faith-based organizations are safeguarded. Whereas many Republican-led states scored excessive, the report famous outcomes didn’t fall neatly alongside partisan strains.
Alabama (72%), Kansas (69%), Indiana (68%), Texas (65%), and Mississippi (63%) obtained the best general scores for safeguarding non secular and regulatory freedoms for faith-based nonprofits, in accordance with the 2025 report.
Alabama and Kansas had been cited as having “stronger protections for non secular free train or worship” of their state constitutions than even the First Modification, in accordance with the report. Each states additionally earned excessive marks for having nondiscrimination legal guidelines that keep away from burdening faith-based employers and for enacting state-level Spiritual Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs).
But there have been situations the place extra liberal states outperformed conservative ones in sure authorized protections. New York scored barely higher than Alaska, Tennessee, and South Carolina in some classes. Connecticut was highlighted for having a state-level RFRA, whereas Ohio and Alaska lack these legal guidelines.
The authors emphasised that sturdy state legal guidelines are notably necessary in states with management that’s much less supportive of spiritual organizations.
“Though California’s present administration just isn’t usually favorable to faith, California nonprofit non secular companies proceed to get pleasure from authorized protections reminiscent of exemption from state charitable registration necessities and better autonomy in inner affairs than secular nonprofits,” the report acknowledged.
Michigan (31%), Washington (35%), Massachusetts (37%), Illinois (38%), and West Virginia (38%), and Maryland (38%) obtained the bottom general scores for safeguarding non secular and regulatory freedoms within the report.
Michigan and Washington state had been amongst “the worst locations to function a faith-based nonprofit,” the report mentioned. These states have a number of legal guidelines that may “burden” operations, in accordance with the report, together with “broad” Blaine Amendments and nondiscrimination legal guidelines that will lack sturdy exemptions for faith-based employers and public-facing ministries.
Napa Authorized, a nonprofit authorized training group that equips non secular organizations with instruments to guard their missions, mentioned the findings underscored the significance of state-level protections.
“The numerous non secular freedom assaults over the previous few years are chilling reminders that with out staunch state-level protections for non secular freedom, odd People will undergo, no matter how supportive the present administration could also be,” Napa Authorized Senior Counsel Frank Devito mentioned in a press release offered to Fox Information Digital.
“From Catholic monks in Washington to involved mother and father in Montgomery County, Maryland — incidents from two of the bottom scoring states on the 2025 Religion and Freedom Index — too many People have been compelled to spend valuable money and time litigating points that ought to by no means have gone to courtroom within the first place,” he mentioned.
The report concluded that lawmakers have a possibility to bolster protections whereas the Trump administration and the Supreme Court docket proceed to champion non secular liberty.
“This 12 months’s Religion and Freedom Index serves as a robust instrument for lawmakers to see the place they need to add protections, strengthen current state legal guidelines, or repeal dangerous state legal guidelines. We should seize this second, particularly given the present presidential administration and a Supreme Court docket that continues to champion non secular freedom, to enact stalwart, enduring state protections that can defend the rights of People for generations to come back.”
The 2025 index additionally highlighted states that improved their rankings from prior years.
Wyoming and Georgia, each of which enacted RFRAs this 12 months, climbed to ninth and sixth place, respectively.
